Warren Edward Buffett (; born August 30, 1930) is an American business magnate, investor and philanthropist. He was the most successful investor of the 20th century. Buffett is the chairman, CEO and largest shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway, and consistently ranked among the world's wealthiest people. He was ranked as the world's wealthiest person in 2008 and as the third wealthiest in 2011. In 2012 Time named Buffett one of the world's most influential people.

Buffett is called the "Wizard of Omaha" or "Oracle of Omaha", or the "Sage of Omaha" and is noted for his adherence to value investing and for his personal frugality despite his immense wealth. Buffett is a notable philanthropist, having pledged to give away 99 percent of his fortune to philanthropic causes, primarily via the Gates Foundation. On April 11, 2012, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, for which he successfully completed treatment in September 2012.

Early life
Buffett was born in 1930 in Omaha, the second of three children and the only son of Congressman Howard Buffett, and Leila (née Stahl). Buffett began his education at Rose Hill Elementary School. In 1942, his father was elected to the first of four terms in the United States Congress, and after moving with his family to Washington, D.C., Warren finished elementary school, attended Alice Deal Junior High School and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1947, where his senior yearbook picture reads: "likes math; a future stockbroker".

As a child, Buffett displayed an interest in making and saving money. He sold chewing gum, Coca-Cola, or weekly magazines door to door. He worked in his grandfather's grocery store. While still in high school he made money delivering newspapers, selling golf balls and stamps and detailing cars, among other means. On his first income tax return in 1944, Buffett took

AnecdotesKnown to be very little spender, Warren Buffett bought a private jet for the company. Considering this expense “unnecessary “, he named his plane the "unjustifiable".

Warren Buffett uses every letter to shareholders to promote the products of the company. In 2006 he wrote "I feel good. It's fascinating to see what Cherry Coke and hamburgers can do for us. "

His first takeover was at the age of six by buying six packs of Coca Cola in the grocery store of his grandparents, which he sold at retail winning a cent of profit per can. Today he is the biggest shareholder of the famous company (8.11%).

Each year, in order to reap benefits for a foundation in San Francisco, Warren Buffett auctions on EBay a launch with him. In 2007, an American financial spent $ 650.100 to share a steak with Warren Buffett.

Citations"A public-opinion poll is no substitute for thought."

"Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago."

"Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked."

"It's better to hang out with people better than you. Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours and you'll drift in that direction."